The Shinigami's Work

Early morning jogs. The most natural way of burning calories and keeping yourself in shape. Step after step, a person would push forward with increasing breaths. That is exactly what Kurosaki Ryuji was doing from 4 am. It has been nearly two hours since the start of his daily jogging. He took off his shoes and walked inside the house which had its front busted.

'That Hollow did a number on the clinic.', Ryuji thought as he walked inside.

He climbed the stairs to the first floor and opened the door of his room. Walking in, he took off his clothes and put them in the laundry. Taking a towel out, he walked to the bathroom to take a bath. After a solid 20 minutes of bathing, he walked out to find Isshin waiting outside.

"You've been up pretty early….", Isshin commented.

"Yes…", Ryuji replied.

"You're just 15 years old, Ryuji. You're allowed to enjoy life a little bit.", Isshin told him, receiving a look from Ryuji.

"I'll keep it in mind…", Ryuji replied as he walked past Isshin and entered his room.

'He still can't let it go…', Isshin thought to himself as he walked inside the bath.

After some time,

Ryuji, wearing his school uniform and being ready, walked over to Ichigo's room to wake him up. But, he did not anticipate his father's antics to reach there before him. Namely,

"Good morning, Ichigo!", Isshin wished with enthusiasm as he crashed his feet onto a sleeping Ichigo.

"GYAAAAHHHHH!", Ichigo screamed out in pain.

"Graaaahhhhh!", Isshin growled as he was pinned to the ground by Ichigo holding Isshin's face.

"You've got some nerve! Attacking your own son in his sleep!", Ichigo asked pissed as his forehead vein was visible and his other hand made into a fist.

"You're pretty good, my son. It seems there is nothing else for me to teach you.", Isshin stated proudly as he struggled against Ichigo's hand.

"Huh?! Hey, What about Yuzu and Karin's injuries?!", Ichigo asked Isshin by pulling him up by the shirt as realization hit him.

"Injuries? What're you talking about?", Isshin asked Ichigo puzzled.

"What?", Ichigo asked listening to Isshin's reply.

Outside the clinic,

"It's a miracle! A truck crashes into our house and no one gets hurt.", Isshin commented, with his arm on his waist, at the damage the forefront of the clinic has while Ichigo stood there in disbelief.

"What's more miraculous is that no one woke up and the culprit got away.", Karin stated.

'A truck? That Shinigami must have made them forget the incident. It seems that she also healed their injuries.', Ryuji reasoned to himself as he looked at the damage.

"Don't worry! He'll probably come to apologize later.", Isshin stated enthusiastically.

"Yeah, right!", Karin commented while scowling in a sarcastic tone before walking inside the house with Yuzu.

"You two, hurry up and eat your breakfast or you're going to be late!", Yuzu told Ichigo and Karin as she walked inside.

"Yeah…", Ichigo replied while Ryuji gave a 'hmm' before walking inside, leaving Ichigo to wonder about Rukia.

Karakura High School, lunch break,

Ryuji and Ichigo walked in through the gates. They spent most of the morning helping with the repairs to the clinic. Hence, they could only reach the school at lunch break. Climbing up the stairs, they walked down the corridor and took a left turn only for someone to walk into Ichigo and get knocked down. The person knocked down was a girl named Orihime Inoue. Orihime was a teenager of average height. She has brown eyes and long, waist-length, burnt orange hair which she wears in bangs tucked behind her ears with hairpins

"Oh, it's you, Inoue.", Ichigo said in realization.

"Huh? I'm sorry!", Orihime apologized.

"Ichigo, you bumped into her and that's all you have to say?!", The girl who was with Orihime, Tatsuki Arisawa, asked him in a scolding tone.

Tatsuki Arisawa is a teenager of average height with black hair and brown eyes. She is a tomboy and has a very lean frame. Her hair was short and dark, kept spiked out at the sides, in tune with her less-than-feminine appearance.

"Oh, sorry, are you alright?", Ichigo apologized.

"Y-Yes", Orihime stated from the ground.

"Hello to you both. Ichigo, help her.", Ryuji told Ichigo.

"Here.", Ichigo said as he extended his hand to Orihime.

"Huh?! It's all right! I-I hav… volley.. volley…", Orihime blabbered after she got up, looking at Ichigo's face closely, and ran away.

"Hey Orihime!", Tatsuki called out as she saw Orihime run away.

"What's with her?", Ichigo asked puzzled at Orihime's behavior.

"It's because you both have such a mean look on your face.", Tatsuki commented.

"Yet your mom wanted us to get together…", Ryuji stated with a teasing smirk.

"Ryuji-", Tatsuki said blushing in embarrassment.

"Talk about embarrassing…", Ichigo commented with a teasing smile.

"Shut up!", Tatsuki shouted blushing, and asked, "By the way, why are you so late? It's already lunchtime.".

"Well…I'll explain later!", Ichigo walked off with Ryuji following him, sending her a smirk.

'T-That devilishly handsome-', Tatsuki thought to herself with a scowl.

In class,

"Ryuji, Ichigo, I heard a truck crashed into your house.", Keigo Asano, Ichigo and Ryuji's friend, asked them.

"Well yeah", Ryuji replied.

"Finished cleaning up?", Mizuiro Kojima, another one of their friends, asked them.

"It's not that easy.", Ichigo replied.

"Need help?", Yasutora 'Chad' Sado, asked Ichigo, prompting Ichigo to look up at his tall and built figure in disbelief.

"No, it's okay…", Ichigo replied awkwardly.

"Chad, you'll end up destroying the place even more.", Keigo told Chad.

'Who's that?', Ryuji thought to himself as he noticed a girl walk toward them.

"What's next?", Ichigo asked his friends.

"Modern literature", Keigo replied.

'Wait! That's-', Ryuji thought in realization.

"Oh, are you both the Kurosaki brothers?", A girl spoke in a poor accent behind Ichigo.

"Huh?", Ichigo turned around to be shocked to find Rukia in his school uniform.

Short and petite, Rukia had light skin and purple eyes. Her hair was black, with several strands of hair always hanging between her eyes.

"I'll be sitting next to you from today. My name's Kuchiki.", Rukia told Ichigo with a poor-modern accent.

"Y-You!", Ichigo said in shock, getting up from the chair and pointing his finger at Rukia.

"What's wrong, Ichigo?", Keigo asked him.

"You two know each other?", Chad asked them.

"Oh no, this is our first meeting. Right, Kurosaki?", Rukia stated in the same accent.

"She's a transfer student, Kuchiki.", Mizuiro stated while Ichigo stared at Rukia in disbelief.

"Right, Rukia?", Keigo asked.

"Nice to meet you", Rukia said as she extended her hand to Ichigo, which had a death threat written on it.

"Huh?!", Ichigo screamed a little at the threat and Rukia smirked at him.

Shortly afterwards,

Ryuji, while placing the books inside his bag, sighs at the amount of homework given by the previous teacher. Raising his head, he noticed Ichigo drag Rukia away. Knowing Ichigo, he'd freaked out at how that Shinigami came here as a student. Ryuji was also curious about Rukia appearing as a human. While this thought flow was going on, he heard a voice.

"Ryuji-kun! Ryuji-kun!", A female voice called out to him.

"Huh?!", Ryuji turned around and looked out the window to find Senjumaru calling out to him.

"Ryuji, have time for some soccer?", Keigo asked him.

"Sorry, I have something to do now.", Ryuji replied as he walked out.

"Heh?! Ryuji!", Keigo called out as he saw Ryuji walk out.

In the backside of the school,

"Did you have to come here?", Ryuji asked her with a straight face.

"How else could I contact you?", Senjumaru asked him.

"…Point taken. Why did you come here?", Ryuji asked her with a sigh.

"Ryuji-kun! A hollow has appeared!", She informed him.

"What?! Where?!", Ryuji asked.

"No time.", Senjumaru said as she pushed out his Shinigami spirit body.

"Graaah!", Ryuji said in shock.

"Follow me.", Senjumaru said as she took off with Ryuji following her.

In a newly constructed building on, the 17th floor,

"Are we close?", Ryuji asked Senjumaru as he stopped climbing the stairs.

"Here it is!", Senjumaru said as she pointed at the far end of the corridor.

"AHHH!", A girl of age 10 screamed in fear as she ran through the corridor with a crab-like hollow following her.

"Raaawwwwrrrrr!", The hollow roared out as it followed her.

"Duck!", Ryuji shouted to the girl as he drew his Zanpakuto out.

"Huh?! Noooo!", The girl screamed as she ducked the hollow's attack.

"Now!", Ryuji told himself as he launched himself onto the hollow and slashed off its leg and two arms.

"Raaaawwwwwrrrrr!", The hollow growled out in pain and disappeared.

"Get back!", Ryuji told the girl as he waited for the hollow to come back.

"Hah!", The girl took a breath before running to the corner of the corridor.

"Raawwrr!", The hollow announced its arrival with a roar.

"C'mon!", Ryuji challenged the hollow.

"Raaaaaaawwwwwwwrrrrrrr!", The hollow roared out as it charged at Ryuji.

"Hmph!", Ryuji stabbed his Zanpakuto right through the hollow's face, destroying it.

"I-it's gone?!", The girl asked him.

"It's dead. Time for you to move on.", Ryuji said as he performed 'Konso' on the girl by placing the hilt of his Zanpakuto against her forehead, leaving an emblem at the point of impact which began to shine brightly, letting her pass on.

"That was a good Konso.", Senjumaru stated.

"I'm going home…", Ryuji told her as he walked away.

"Ryuji-kun!", Senjumaru called out to him.

"Yeah?", Ryuji asked her, stopping on his path.

"I sense another one!", Senjumaru told him with a serious face.

"What?!-", Ryuji asked before he was made to dodge an attack from behind.

"There!", Senjumaru pointed at the assailant.

"Tch!", Ryuji said in frustration as he noticed the lizard-like hollow with a long tongue.

"Raaaawwwwrrrr!", the hollow roared out in hunger.

"Go, Ryuji-kun! Sever its head in one slash!", Senjumaru reminded him of the lesson she gave him.

"Hmm…", Ryuji nodded as he took off quickly.

"Raaaawwwwrrrrrr!", The hollow roared out as it attacked Ryuji with its tail.

"Hmph!", Ryuji ducked the tail and jumped up.

"Now!", Senjumaru tipped him.

"RAAAAAHHH!", Ryuji shouted while driving his blade to the hollow's face.

"Raaaaaaaawwwwwwwrrrrrrr!", The hollow growled out in pain as it stopped the blade with its arms before the sword could slash through his head.

"What the?!", Ryuji stated in shock as he noticed that the blade only cut a small part of the mask that fell off, exposing the face behind it.

"Ryuji-kun!", Senjumaru called out as the hollow swung its tail at Ryuji.

"Damn!", Ryuji jumped off in shock with his Zanpakuto in hand.

"Raaaaaaawwwwwwwwwrrrrrrrrrrr!", The hollow growled out as it disappeared.

"Why did you not retaliate? What happened?", Senjumaru asked him, noticing the shock on his face.

"I saw it…The face behind that mask…It was that lady's husband…", Ryuji informed her in disbelief as he remembered the picture he saw in the lady's house.

"The lady you saved from those three men yesterday?", Senjumaru asked him to which Ryuji nodded.

"…", Ryuji stood in silence.

"Ryuji-kun, do you recall the rule I taught you before?", Senjumaru asked him.

"Yes, 'Attacking and splitting off a hollow's head from behind in one blow.'.", Ryuji stated to her.

"Do you know why it is so? To minimize your injuries and to never discover the hollow's identity.", Senjumaru explained.

"The hollow's identity? Do you mean-", Ryuji asked in realization.

"Just as you thought, Ryuji-kun. Yes, all hollows were once ordinary human souls.", Senjumaru revealed.

"You never told me that! Wasn't that an evil monster that we need to exterminate?", Ryuji asked her.

"Yes, he is now an evil monster that must be exterminated.", Senjumaru answered.

"How did he become a hollow?", Ryuji asked her.

"Grudges, regrets…souls those who harbor such feelings are hard to perform Konso on and linger on alone. Then, they become hollows on their own or are devoured by other hollows and become new hollows.", Senjumaru explained to him.

"Why would that lady's husband want to attack me?", Ryuji asked him.

"Hollows that are created by being devoured are controlled by the hollow that devoured it. So, it would mean that there is a powerful hollow in the shadows, wanting to devour your spiritual power.", Senjumaru explained.

"How can I kill the hollow, knowing it was a human soul?", Ryuji asked her in frustration.

"Don't lose your head! If you do not kill him now, he will wander forever attacking other people, souls, and surely you again.", Senjumaru told him sharply.

"Tch.", Ryuji looked around in frustration.

"Let's go! We have no time to waste!", Senjumaru told him as she walked down the stairs.

"What are you doing?", Ryuji asked as he followed.

"We need to go! That lady is in danger!", Senjumaru told him.

"What?!", Ryuji asked in shock.

Meanwhile, the lady's house,

The lady had just finished dinner and had just begun to wash her dishes. It was just a day before that she was assaulted by the three men and was saved by a handsome, strong, and kind young man. Even though she knew that her child had attained peace, she could not shake off this feeling of guilt and sadness. As the events of the previous day filled her mind, she put a stop to them.

'It's no use thinking about it now…', the lady told herself, trying to dull that feeling.

*thud**thud**thud*

"What was that?", the lady asked herself as she heard that noise and walked in that direction.

'On The Road' to the lady's house,

"Hollows target their own family?!", Ryuji asked Senjumaru as they both run towards the lady's house.

"It happens frequently…", Senjumaru answered.

"Why?", Ryuji asked her.

"Hollows are fallen souls. Souls that were guided into Soul Society by a Shinigami. Souls who were not protected from other hollows. They lose their hearts and become hollows themselves. Now that this hollow failed to devour you, he will go after the soul of the one he loved the most in his life.", Senjumaru explained.

"Tch. Let's go!", Ryuji said as they sped up more.

The Lady's house,

The lady walked to the living room to find her son's favorite toy broken. She walked to it and bent down to pick the toy up. Suddenly, she felt something stab through her chest and was shocked. When she regained her senses, she felt heavy. She looked around to hear a roar from the hollow.

'W-What was that?!', The lady thought to herself in fear.

"Raaaaaaawwwwwrrrrrr!", The hollow appeared in front of her roaring.

"W-What is that?! I-Is that me?! W-What is this chain?! It feels so hard to breathe!", She asked herself in fear before noticing her extended from her body with a chain locked on her chest.

"Shizuka….", The hollow called out to her.

"W-Who are you?", Shizuka asked in fear.

"How sad….you don't seem to remember my voice…..how sad! how sad!", The hollow yelled as it tried to get hold of her, only for his arm to be cut off by Ryuji-kun.

"Tch.", Ryuji slashed off its arm, making it disappear with a growl.

"Huh?! Ryuji-kun?!", Shizuka asked surprised.

"You've become a spiritual being?", Ryuji asked noting the chain extending from her chest.

"Yes! Shizuka is dead!", The hollow told him as it reappeared.

"Hmph!", Ryuji charged the hollow and slashed at it, only for it to dodge and take Shizuka captive.

"Ryuji-kun!", Senjumaru alerted him.

"Tch.", Ryuji charged at the hollow again, slashing its tail only to find that the blade cannot damage the tail.

"Get away!", Senjumaru alerted him.

"Damn!", Ryuji said as he jumped off from the tail before the lizard could spew its venom on him.

"Don't move!", The hollow said holding Shizuka by her throat, blackmailing Ryuji.

"Huh?!", Ryuji said before he was knocked down by its tail and was made to manage his fall to the street.

"Ryuji-kun?!", Senjumaru asked him.

"I'm fine…just need a minute.", Ryuji replied.

Inside the house,

"Let me go!", Shizuka said as she struggled against the hollow's hand.

"Shizuka….It is me, don't you remember?", The hollow asked with its real eyes visible.

"T-Takashi?", Shizuka asked in realization.

"Yes, it is me, Shizuka.", The hollow answered.

"But why? Takashi wouldn't do such a thing.", Shizuka asked him.

"I was lonely….Ever since I died, you kept me in your thoughts, which kept me in this house. You praying and wishing for me every day gave me peace. Even when you started to get close to those mafia men, you still kept me in your thoughts. But, one day, you came to this house with a child. And you started to forget me bit by bit. By the time he could walk, you had forgotten me entirely. That made me feel lonely and made me yearn for your love. That's why…I'm here.", The hollow explained letting her go.

"Takashi, you're wrong!", Shizuka told him before she was caught in his tail.

"Listen to me, Shizuka! If you still have some feeling for me, don't betray me anymore! Just listen to what I tell you! It won't be long before I devour that Shinigami!", The hollow told her.

"Ryuji-kun had nothing to do with this!", Shizuka told him and was strangled against his tail.

"Shut up! If you don't listen to me, I'll kill you!", The hollow threatened as it choked her.

"Hmph!", Ryuji stabbed his blade right through his tail, making him roar in pain and let go of Shizuka.

"How dare you blame Junichi for this!", Ryuji said in anger.

"Shut up! Shizuka is mine!", The hollow told him and when he noticed the necklace on her neck, He started to roar as he remembered the memories of him and Shizuka.

"What?!", Ryuji asked himself.

"Shizuka….Shizuka….Shizuka is mine!", The hollow roared as it came to devour her.

"Shut up! The lady belongs on to herself!", Ryuji said as he stopped his mouth with his blade.

"Raaaaaawwwwwwrrrrrrr!", The hollow roared as it pushed Ryuji off the house.

"Watch out!", Senjumaru warned him.

"Tch.", Ryuji sped up to the hollow with his blade in position to deliver the final blow.

"Do it now!", Senjumaru tipped him.

"Huh?!", Ryuji hesitated for a moment when Takashi's face flashed before him once, which the hollow used to spew its venom on his eyes, making him lose his sight and drop his blade.

"Raaaaawwwwwwrrrrrr!", The hollow roared as it came to devour the unarmed Ryuji.

"Ryuji-kun!", Senjumaru called out in panic.

"What?!", The hollow asked in surprise, realizing who he bit.

"Lady…", Ryuji said as he noticed that it was the lady that got bit.

"Takashi! I know why you're like this. Before you died of those palpitations, I begged you on the hospital bed to not leave me alone.", Shizuka revealed to them, hugging the hollow with its teeth deep inside her shoulders.

"Shizuka…", The hollow said in shock.

"I always knew you were there. Back then, after Ryuji saved me, you lit fire to that building, didn't you? You never stopped worrying about me, that kept you here and did not let you pass on. I stopped praying to you so that you could move on. I wanted you to know that I was happy with our son.", Shizuka explained to him before falling to the ground.

"Shizuka…. RAAAAA!", The hollow called out to her and roared out in pain.

"What is going on with him?!", Ryuji asked Senjumaru as he picked up his blade.

"He is fighting the hollow inside him that is ordered to devour you, for his wife and son.", Senjumaru explained as the hollow's mask fell off to reveal Takashi's real face.

"Shizuka….", He called out to her as he noticed the necklace again.

"Wait! The chain of fate is still intact in the body. I can still save her.", Senjumaru explained to them.

"You gifted that to her, didn't you?", Ryuji asked him.

"…", Takashi looked at Ryuji with guilt.

" Junichi told me, ' It was my dad's last gift to my mom.' ", Ryuji informed Takashi.

"The kid was….my son?", Takashi asked him.

"Yes. Your wife was pregnant when you died.", Ryuji revealed to him.

"My son….my very own son…", Takashi repeated the fact and his face fell in guilt.

"Both, he and Shizuka loved you so much… Even though Junichi never knew you.", Ryuji told him.

"Shinigami….Can you do me a favor?", Takashi asked.

"What?", Ryuji asked him.

"End me, while I still have my sanity.", Takashi told him.

"What? I can't-", Ryuji was interrupted by Senjumaru.

"Don't worry, Ryuji-kun. Slashing him with you Zanpakuto does not kill him. It only erases the sins he did as a hollow and lets him pass onto Soul Society.", Senjumaru explained to him.

"Alright.", Ryuji drew his blade for a final strike.

"Wait!", Shizuka called out.

"Shizuka…", Takashi said as he looked at her.

"Goodbye, darling", Shizuka wished him her final goodbye.

"Goodbye.", Takashi wished back before Ryuji slashed its head off and he disintegrated.

While Ryuji sheathed his Zanpakuto back in, Shizuka cried out in pain of losing her husband and was happy to finally come to terms with his death. After she calmed down, Senjumaru replaced her memories and let her be. The day ended with Ryuji walking back home, in his human body, while asking himself,

'What does it mean to be a Shinigami?'.

End of Chapter – 2.